


Tell the Truth

by TeekiJane



Series: The Boys of Summer [25]
Category: Baby-Sitters Club - Ann M. Martin
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-19
Updated: 2013-12-19
Packaged: 2018-01-05 05:20:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1090074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeekiJane/pseuds/TeekiJane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With Adam not telling Jordan anything and Byron caught in the middle between them, anything could happen next.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tell the Truth

**Author's Note:**

> This one goes out to my readers at my blog, BSC Timeline: http://babysittertimeline.blogspot.com/ Thanks for listening to me snark and nitpick!

_There you sit there, looking so cool_  
_While the whole show is passing you by_  
_You’d better come to terms with your fellow men soon_  
Derek and the Dominoes, Tell the Truth

**Byron**

It had been a really long time since I had just sat in front of the television with no goal in mind. Sure, I watch movies and TV, but usually I sit down right before my show starts and get up right after it ends. So it was a nice change of pace to just plop down in front of the set that Monday without knowing what I was going to watch or how long I would be sitting there. 

Mom and Margo had left around noon to take Claire off to camp. Before they’d gone, I’d gotten special permission to break the rules. Normally Jeff wouldn’t be allowed to come by without the two of us having a chaperone—anyone else in the family who followed us everywhere we went. Mom said that as long as we kept our hands to ourselves, we could watch television in the rec room, whether someone was there with us or not. Honestly, I think that rule is mostly directed at keeping Margo and Claire from walking in on stuff anyway. Nick was upstairs when I first sat on the sofa, but I’d heard him leave not long after. That just left Vanessa, who might be in the house somewhere, and Jordan. Honestly, I wasn’t planning on undressing Jeff in a public area of my house anyway, but I knew that neither one of the two of them would object if Jeff and I decided to invade each other’s personal space or if they caught a little bit of quick making out. It was one of those times when I could actually justify breaking the rules just a little. 

Jeff was going to come by sometime later in the afternoon, so I was in a holding pattern, waiting for him to show. He was leaving in a couple weeks, and then _I_ would be the one leaving Stoneybrook just a few days later. We were trying to cram as much time together into these last few weeks as possible. Jeff didn’t seem to think we’d have any trouble keeping up a long distance relationship when I’d brought the subject up a few days before. Just like in the spring, we had emails and phone calls. But it was more than that—we had an actual relationship now. I knew that he loved me and that was enough to get me through the days when I didn’t hear from him. At least, I hoped so. 

_Hopeful_ was a very good word to describe me right about now. It wasn’t normally something in my vocabulary. But I had a lot to be thankful for these days, and I was hoping that would continue to be the case. 

I was watching a soap opera—yeah, my television viewing was _that_ aimless—and pondering that when Jordan came in and joined me on the couch. “What the hell are you watching?” he asked. 

I wrinkled my nose. “I _think_ it’s _As the World Turns_ ,” I told him. He raised an eyebrow. “Haley used to be big into soaps. I’m pretty sure that is…” I pointed to one of the characters, “…one of her favorites from when she was addicted. It gave her something to do last summer when I was working and she wasn’t.” 

Jordan shook his head, although I wasn’t sure if it was directed at me or at our shared favorite female. I wasn’t really paying attention to the show, but I didn’t really look over at him until he sighed loudly. I picked up the remote and turned the volume down, then set the remote between us. Without a word, I cocked my head at him and took him in. He looked depressed and I realized he hadn’t just joined me to find out how the world was turning. “What’s going on?” I asked, wondering when—and why—my brothers had started coming to me with their problems. Had it happened subtly, or had it come on suddenly and I’d just been too wrapped up in myself to notice? 

Jordan slumped down into the couch cushions, looking as put out about the situation as I was feeling. “It’s about Haley,” he said. 

“There’s a shocker,” I replied sarcastically. He gave me a disgusted look. “Oh, come on, Jordan, why else would you come to me? Seriously.” I was half kidding, but there was an element of seriousness to the statement too. I couldn’t think of a single thing that I would be able to help Jordan with during the summer months that _wasn’t_ related in some way, shape, or form to Hay. 

Jordan eyed me suspiciously. “If you don’t want to help me,” he said slowly, “then just go ahead and say so.” 

“I didn’t say that,” I said seriously. He turned away, watching two soap characters in bed as an excuse not to look at me. “Look, I know you care about her. I have no doubt about that.” I had his attention again. “I’ll tell you the same thing I told Hay. Don’t put me in the middle between you two. She’s really not so good about that sometimes, but that’s my terms. Now, what do you need?” 

He nodded seriously. “Yesterday we were alone in her house while her parents went out. We were on the couch, right?” Jordan didn’t elaborate as to what they were doing, but I didn’t need him to. Any time I see him and Hay, they’re touching one another. He’s got his arm around her waist, or she’s grabbing his arm, or they’re just plain old making out. I could guess that was what was happening on that couch without any details. “So she told me I could take off her shirt. I started to unbutton it…” I must have made a face without meaning to because Jordan became agitated. “Byron!” 

I shook myself. “I’m sorry, man! I can’t help it. I’m just a little squeamish about hearing about you groping my best friend.” He glared at me. “Go on. Please.” 

He continued to give me stinkeye for a moment after that and then went on. “I got about three buttons in and she flipped out and made me stop.” Jordan sighed a long, frustrated sigh and pulled his knees up onto the couch. 

I watched him for a moment, waiting for him to go on. When he didn’t speak during that time, I assumed he was done. “You know about her past,” I said quietly, wishing we didn’t have to have this conversation. 

Jordan eyed me sharply. “Yes, I do,” he said, the pitch of his voice rising a little. “Believe it or not, I’m actually not upset about her stopping me. Yeah, I’m a little frustrated,” he told me, and I could imagine exactly what he meant by _frustrated_ , “but that’s just because I want so badly for her to trust me.” 

I nodded. “Well, then, what’s got you so bothered?” I asked. 

Jordan turned to me and, when he realized I was taking him seriously, he began talking again. “We didn’t really feel like hanging out on the couch after that. So I asked her what she wanted to do instead. She said she wanted to go to the pool.” A commercial started playing and distracted his attention, although I doubt he was really interested in the feminine hygiene product being advertised. After a moment, he picked back up his thread. “We both put our swimsuits on and met out front of her house with our bikes.” He pursed his lips. “After we get there, she took off her cover up to put on her sunscreen, and she’s wearing this itty-bitty bikini.” Jordan looked at me meaningfully. 

I didn’t get the connection. “So?” I asked. 

Jordan released a heavy puff of air. “So she’s got a problem with me unbuttoning her shirt—which she was wearing over another layer, mind you—but she’s got absolutely no problem with wearing a top that’s tinier than her bra and a bottom that’s probably smaller than her panties, in front of everyone and their brother at the pool.” 

I looked at him for a moment without speaking. I understood what he was concerned about now; I just wasn’t sure how to proceed. “I see,” I said finally. He gave me a look, waiting for my magic words of wisdom. “I’m going to break my own rule a little bit and tell you something she told me in confidence, but only because I suspect I’m only confirming what you already know.” Jordan just grunted. “This has absolutely nothing to do with you. Somewhere, deep down, Hay knows you’re not going to hurt her, even if she can’t see that in the individual moment. This is totally and completely about her inability to give up control. She’s okay wearing that bikini because she picked it out at the mall, she put it on and she’s the one who took off that cover up.” 

Jordan didn’t look convinced. “I don’t get it,” he said, without explaining which _it_ he meant. 

I shrugged, hoping a further response would clear things up a little. “When you touched her top, that wasn’t Jordan, her boyfriend, whom she loves, carefully removing her shirt because he wanted to see her body. It was _someone_ doing something to her that she couldn’t control. Even though you stopped the second she told you to and proved you were trustworthy, she couldn’t get past the fact that the last time someone started off like that, they didn’t stop.” Jordan burrowed further into the couch cushions, looking wounded. I wasn’t sure if he was hurting on Haley’s behalf or if he was hurting because of her. “I can’t confirm this, but I think it will go better for you when you two get up the nerve to try it again. She’ll know that she can tell you to stop at any time and you will.” 

Jordan sighed. “I don’t know about that last part,” he said, “but I’ll definitely try again sometime. Not so much because I want to see and touch her—although I definitely do want that.” I made another face, but this time Jordan actually cracked a little smile. “I’m more concerned with helping her get past this because I think it will make her happier and have all the bad stuff be less on her mind.” 

I nodded slowly. “Don’t take this the wrong way,” I said seriously, and the partial grin went away, “but I think she needs therapy.” 

Jordan and I looked at each other for a moment before he spoke. His eyes had been stormy through most of the conversation, but now he just looked sad. “I take that the way it’s intended,” he said, sitting up straighter on the couch, “I know it comes from a place of love, and that you love her as much as I do, even if it’s a different kind of love.” I smiled at him for the first time since he’d sat down. “I know that,” he continued, “because I agree with you.” 

“If I thought she’d agree to go,” I told him, “I’d find out who Jeff sees. I don’t know the doctor’s name, but Jeff seems to really like her.” 

Jordan looked surprised. “Jeff has a therapist?” 

I know my eyes widened. I hadn’t told my brothers about Jeff’s bipolar diagnosis or about any of the other conversations we’d had on the subject. Adam probably wouldn’t have been astonished to learn that Jeff was seeing a professional, but Jordan hadn’t been there at Haley’s when Jeff had admitted to his suicide attempt. I pretended it was no big deal. “Yeah, and she’s apparently really good.” 

It worked. Instead of acting like I’d left him out of some big secret, which is what I’d expected, Jordan just looked thoughtful. “I think you’re right. I can’t picture her voluntarily agreeing to see a counselor or anything.” He picked up the remote and, instead of changing the channel, turned the volume back up. “How do people follow these shows?” he asked me, making it clear he was done with our old conversation, “There have literally been about twenty people on screen in the time I’ve been sitting here.” 

“All I’ve been able to figure out so far,” I told him, “is that these two are in love, but that’s not her husband.” 

Jordan and I were still sitting there, attempting to follow the story, when the back door opened and then slammed shut. “Byron?” Adam called from the kitchen. 

I didn’t pause to consider what he would think if he caught the two of us watching soaps; I just turned around. “Down here!” I shouted back. 

Jordan was back to slumping down in the seat, almost hidden among the cushions. He didn’t look up or seem the least bit curious as to how Adam and Tiffany’s big appointment had gone. I, on the other hand, sat up straighter and watched Adam thump down the stairs. He had a dazed look and was kind of pale. I gaped at him. “Did she change her mind?” I asked. 

“No,” he said, but then he shook his head. “Well, actually yes.” 

I stood up and stared at him, brow furrowed. “Which is it, Adam? Is she going through with the abortion or not?” 

Jordan sat bolt upright on the couch, but Adam didn’t seem to notice. “You’ll never believe this,” he answered, never taking his eyes off me, “but they gave her an ultrasound and she’s, like, sixteen weeks gone.” 

I opened a mental calendar and counted backward. I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I just shook my head. That meant Tiff had already been pregnant long before they first started dating again. “Wow,” I finally replied. 

Adam didn’t look happy, but he did smile. “I think that’s the same thing you said when I first told you Tiffany was pregnant,” he commented. 

Jordan found his voice. “Tiffany’s pregnant?” he asked, like he was just hearing the news. I thought he was joking until I got a good look at him. He had that look on his face I had expected him to pull out when he heard about Jeff. It was the ‘nobody tells me anything, and I’m mad as hell about it,’ look that Claire perfected oh-so-many years ago. 

Adam blinked at him, looking a little crazed, and I took a step backwards so I wasn’t standing between the two of them—even though I wasn’t really between the two of them anyway. “Yes,” he said to Jordan, huffily, as if he’d missed the real point, “Tiff’s pregnant, and if you were following the rest of this conversation, it’s not my kid.” 

Jordan opened his mouth and then closed it. He looked over at me and I went back to my old standby—I stared at the floor rather than make eye contact. Jordan turned back to Adam, his eyes blazing with fury. “You two went to get an abortion today,” he slowly summarized, “and you never even bothered to tell me about any of this?” 

Adam was in quite a mood already. I think it was a combination of the past week of dad-to-be stress, coupled with the shock of discovering it all had been a lie. I probably would have been a basket case myself in his place. But I have a feeling there was a lot more going on in the background than that. So when Jordan came out of the gate swinging, Adam wasn’t going to back down from the fight. “That’s right,” he said, leaning over the edge of the couch. “Last time I checked, I didn’t have to run every little detail of my life by you.” 

Jordan just couldn’t believe his ears. He stood up and inched toward Adam, never breaking his gaze. I was already backed up about as far as I could go without climbing onto a piece of furniture, although not because I thought they’d come to blows. I wasn’t really worried about that, even though I knew it was a distinct possibility. It had been a long time since the two of them had really physically fought and seriously meant it. I was more concerned about how vicious the words were going to get. “This is serious,” Jordan said to Adam, “This is probably the biggest thing any of us have ever gone through, and yet you didn’t even tell me!” 

I was pretty surprised to hear his tone of voice. At first I’d thought he was just mad because we’d left him out of something. But he sounded so hurt and lost that I couldn’t look at him directly. In my head, I put him and Adam side by side and I could understand why they were arguing. Adam was pushing Jordan away because Jordan was leaving for school in a few days. I had the feeling that Adam thought it would be easier to be separated physically from the brother with whom he’d always shared everything if the two of them were more distant emotionally. Jordan, on the other hand, would be the first of us leaving, and I think he was looking at it from the opposite direction—he wanted to keep his ties to home as close as possible. 

Adam just shook his head, disbelieving, although I was closer to Jordan’s side on this one. I couldn’t believe that Adam hadn’t told him everything—or even anything. But I wasn’t about to tell either one of them that. Jordan pressed on. “Is this how information runs in this house? From you to Byron, but not to me?” 

Adam laughed a crazy, angry laugh. “Who died and made you the center of the universe, Jordan?” he asked. 

Jordan took a step back. “I’m not trying to be the center of the universe. There are only three people in the world whose opinion actually matters to me,” he said, still upset but a little more calm. I think he’d realized that someone had pressed Adam’s insanity button and that he wasn’t going to get anywhere by trying to out-crazy him. After a moment, he continued, sounding embarrassed that he was admitting any of this out loud. “And two of those three are right here in this room.” 

I don’t know about Adam, but I felt a little better after hearing that. Jordan and I had come to an understanding back in Maine, but that didn’t mean we’d become the kind of close that he and Adam shared. Having him come to me for advice and admit that he actually cared what I thought about him was a big step for the two of us. 

Adam didn’t seem to be done with his angry words. “I don’t have to tell you everything,” he said. “I don’t tell Byron everything, and he’s never held that against me. Right, Byron?” 

Why was he trying to drag me into this? He was telling the truth on most levels, though. I hadn’t even known Adam had lost his virginity until he told me Tiffany was pregnant. Honestly, I’d figured it was none of my business what my brothers were doing with their dicks…until Jordan had started dating Hay and, no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t stay out of that relationship. (Haley just would not let me.) So I hadn’t been the slightest bit offended by it. 

But I couldn’t say I didn’t hold it against him that there was stuff I was left out of. There had been parties I hadn’t been invited to, despite the fact that half the school went. It would have taken Adam thirty seconds to say, “Hey, there’s a party over at so-and-so’s this weekend. I know it’s not really your thing, but do you want to go?” There were inside jokes that came up over and over at lunch through the years that I never understood, because I hadn’t been there when the joke originated and no one had bothered to explain it. I mostly blame myself for these things, but there was definitely a little resentment aimed at both of my brothers for not at least trying to share things with me. 

“Don’t you drag him into this,” Jordan said when I didn’t reply to Adam’s last statement. “This is between you and me.” Adam scoffed but Jordan ignored that. “I’m not saying you have to tell me everything, but this is major. You thought you were going to be a dad, for fuck’s sake! How much bigger do your life problems have to be before you decide to share them with me?” 

Adam turned around and buried his head in his hands. For a second I thought he was going to cry again—and I think he did, too. “Like you could relate,” he said quietly, muffled by the hands covering his mouth. “With your perfect relationship and your everlasting love. You and your noble ‘I’m going to wait for Haley until she’s ready for me,’ bull crap.” 

Jordan’s eyes went wide when he caught the jealousy. “No relationship’s perfect,” he said, stating the obvious. “I was just telling Byron that Haley’s got hang ups big enough to snag ships out in open sea. And I’m sure she’s got plenty of complaints about me, too.” He wheeled around and plopped back on the couch, in the cushions. “Look, Adam, I’m sorry I came gunning for you. It’s just, of all the ways to find out about what you were going through!” 

Adam finally turned back around. Jordan’s apology had helped diffuse a little of his anger, but he was still edgy. “Like there isn’t things you haven’t told me,” he said, sitting on the opposite arm of the couch from where Jordan was slouched. 

Jordan looked thoughtful for a moment. “Actually, there is,” he said. Adam raised his eyebrows. “Me still being a virgin? Has almost nothing to do with Haley. It’s a promise I made to respect my body and wait until I was ready.” 

I knew exactly what he was referring to, but Adam furrowed his brow and frowned. “What the hell are you talking about?” he asked. 

Jordan sighed, like he had wanted to leave this last bit out. “I made a virginity pledge with the Faith League,” he said. “The pledge is to remain ‘pure until marriage’ but I’m just hoping to wait until I’m ready and she—whoever she is—is ready and the time is right. And now, none of those things are in place.” 

Adam stared at Jordan like he’d never seen him before, but Jordan wouldn’t make eye contact. Finally, Adam chuckled and jumped over the arm of the couch so that he was sitting facing Jordan. “You, with the long list of girls in your wake, are going to be pure?” he said, half teasing.

Jordan flicked him off, but he smiled, realizing the fight was almost over if Adam was ready to make jokes. “Relatively,” he replied. 

“I guess it’s my turn to apologize,” Adam said, “for not telling you anything about this. It’s was just…you weren’t exactly thrilled for me when I told you I’d been with Tiff. And you’d told me to be careful. I think I was just embarrassed to admit that we hadn’t been _that_ careful.” He wrinkled his nose. “Plus I was afraid that if I told you, you’d tell Haley and her mouth, and then the whole world would find out.” 

Without thinking, I replied, bringing focus back to me. “She already knew,” I said, “and she didn’t tell anyone else, as far as I can see.” I wasn’t really sure who Adam was so worried about Haley telling. Who else did she hang out with besides me and Jordan, most of the time? 

Adam looked surprised. “You told her?” he asked me. 

I broke eye contact again. “No, Tiff did, the same day you told me. I happened to overhear the conversation.” 

“Wow. I didn’t know Haley had it in her to keep a secret,” Adam said. Jordan rolled his eyes at him. Adam shook his head and turned toward the television. The soap had ended while the two of them were arguing, but another one had started. “What the fuck were you two watching down here?” he asked. He turned to me, where I was still standing backed against the wall, trying to look nonchalant. “Byron, you’re going to have to come over and explain this one.” 

I understood. He wasn’t really holding me completely responsible for the channel we were watching; he just wanted me to come out of the corner and join them on the couch. It was his way of apologizing for throwing me into the fray. I sat down on the middle cushion between the two of them and they moved their feet to make room and accept me in between them. I didn’t comment on the soap opera, and no one said a word about it. After a minute, Jordan did turn to me. “So,” he began, “what secrets have _you_ been keeping from us?” 

Adam sat up straighter and I bounced my head back and forth between them for a moment. There was no getting out of this; pointing out that they already knew my biggest secret (which was no longer a secret at all) wasn’t going to work. “Well,” I said to bide myself some time. “Remember those score cards you used to keep?” They both looked embarrassed for a moment but nodded. “I’m finally out of the negative.” 

Jordan and Adam both leaned forward to look at one another, and then they both grinned. “I’m glad,” Jordan finally said. “Back when we were younger, before you started hanging out with Haley all the time, you always seemed so lonely, even when you were in a room full of people.” 

Adam picked up the momentum. “I always wondered why you never went out with girls. You’d talk to them okay, and they seemed to like you more than they liked me or Jordan. I just figured you were shy about asking them out.” He settled back into the couch. “When you told me you were gay, it all made sense for the first time. I’m glad you came out and I’m glad you found someone to be with.” Jordan nodded his agreement. 

I smiled. “Believe me, no one’s more glad than I am. It’s exhausting and lonely living a lie.” We started to settle back into the couch, the soap opera still blaring, but I felt the need to point out one more thing. “Oh, and Adam,” I said, “There was only one person who knew I was lying to the world, and she didn’t tell a soul—not even me—for three whole years. Does that sound like someone who can’t keep a secret?” 

Adam made a face but Jordan guffawed. “That’s my girl,” he said proudly, but then he thought for a second. “But let me get this straight. She knew you were gay and hiding it the entire time you two were friends, and she never brought it up?” 

“She was waiting for _me_ to tell _her_ ,” I said, “and I don’t think it would have ever come out of her, except she was a little bit drunk.” 

Adam finally found the remote control. “Anyone object if I change the channel?” he asked. “My life’s been soapy enough today to last me a lifetime.” He didn’t wait for a reply but just changed the channel. We sat quietly for a moment as a commercial played. When the ads ended, the Maury Povich show started and Adam quickly flipped the channel again. 

Jordan made a single, sharp laugh. “‘You are…not…the father,’” he quipped. Adam blushed bright red. 

He was still pink when the backdoor opened again. “Hello?” a voice called. 

I smiled. “Down here, Jeff!” I shouted. 

Jeff came down stairs. His demeanor was a far cry from how he’d been the last time Adam had seen him, when he’d been moving like he was in a fog and every movement hurt. Today, he bounded down the stairs, more hopping than walking, and his face lit up when he saw me. “Hey, By,” he said as he took in the three of us, sitting on the couch, watching PBS. “Adam, Jordan. This is more of a welcoming committee than I expected. What are you guys watching?” 

Jordan answered as Jeff sat down by my feet. “We don’t know,” he said mysteriously. Jeff leaned up against my knees and gave him a strange look. “We’re not really watching it. We’re sharing secrets.” 

“Secrets?” Jeff repeated. I slid down onto the floor next to him and he wrapped an arm around me and kissed my cheek. “What kind of secrets?” 

Jordan smirked. “None of us is going to be a dad,” he replied. 

“Oh yeah?” 

I leaned my head against his. “I sincerely doubt that either one of us is pregnant,” I told him, and he laughed. 

Adam curled his knees up into his chest and leaned off the couch. “And Jordan’s a virgin, so he’s not a father.” 

Jordan went the other direction and stretched out his legs into the cushion I vacated. “And since Tiffany’s baby isn’t his, Adam’s not a dad either.” 

Jeff raised his eyebrows and Adam, still hanging his head off the couch, shook his head, answering Jeff’s unasked question. “She was already knocked up when we first got back together.” 

Jeff whistled and Jordan nodded in agreement. “We all shared secrets,” he said to Jeff, “What’s your secret?” 

Jeff looked at each one of my brothers in turn and then replied. “I can’t imagine I have any secrets that Byron hasn’t already told you.” 

Adam and Jordan looked at each other and then at Jeff. I pulled away from him just a little. “I don’t share secrets that aren’t mine,” I told him seriously. “I don’t gossip.” 

Jeff smiled just a little. “By,” he said, putting one hand on my face. “It’s not gossip to tell the truth to certain people.” He tucked some hair behind my ear. 

I looked at his serious expression. “My brothers,” I said, trying to follow his reasoning. He nodded. “Hay. And you.” Jeff grinned at the last word. “So do you want to tell them, or should I?” 

He looked pensive. “Depends on what you want to share.” I shrugged. “Okay then. I guess I’ll talk.” He let me go and turned around on the floor so he was facing both my brothers. “On the small scale, I decided on a college major. On a bigger scale, I’m bipolar and I’m taking lithium for it.” 

My brothers looked at each other and silently decided not to question the more serious information. “So what’s the major?” Jordan asked. He and Jeff had both started the summer without a major, and as far as I was aware, Jordan still hadn’t made any decisions in that respect. 

“Education,” Jeff said lightly. “I’m hoping to create an army of young minions to do my bidding. Or teach middle school, whatever’s easier.” 

Adam laughed. “That sounds like you.” With that, he flipped the station again. He eventually settled on what turned out to be a Law & Order marathon. “Anyone got a problem with this?” 

Jeff turned and looked at me. He smiled his most dazzling smile and I kissed him, just once. I couldn’t resist. 

Jordan leaned over Adam, who had stretched out in front of him. “If you two are going to keep that up,” he warned, “then you’ll need to get a room.” 

“You’re a fine one to talk,” I commented as Jeff and I settled back into leaning against the couch. “You and Haley can’t keep your hands off each other.” Jordan grinned at me. 

We all fell silent after that. Jeff smiled at me again. I got it; he was not only glad that he’d told my brothers, but also happy that they’d been cool about it. I felt the same way about sharing with the two of them. Hard to believe that we—all four of us—were getting ready to leave for school soon, and yet we were closer than ever.


End file.
